Reviews

A low-priced, long-zoom digicam with features to appeal to travellers.Canon’s PowerShot SX100 IS has many of the features of the popular S5 IS model but boasts a smaller, lighter body and significantly lower price tag. Boasting an 8-megapixel CCD imager and 10x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation, the SX100 IS sports the latest DiG!C III image processor, which includes Face Detection technology plus support for ISO 1600 sensitivity. The 2.5-inch LCD monitor is fixed and has 172,000-pixel resolution and the camera has obviously been designed to provide performance and functionality at an economy price.

The update to Canon’s PowerShot S1-IS has been a while coming but the new S2-IS model offers some significant improvements over its predecessor; the most obvious being the 5-megapixel CCD sensor and longer 12x optical zoom lens. The zoom lens is slightly faster and covers a wider angle of view than its predecessor. The built-in stabilisation system has been extended with a new ‘Shoot Only’ IS mode that works only during exposures, thereby reducing battery drain.

Essentially a higher-resolution version of the PowerShot S60, the S70 has been upgraded to support AF area selection in the P, Tv, Av and M shooting modes, although the AF frame is fixed to centre-point when you shoot with the viewfinder or use digital zoom. Focus and AE bracketing are also provided, along with flash output adjustment of +/- 2 stops in 1/3 stop increments.